Gemista Greek Stuffed Vegetables

Gemista, or Yemista, means “stuffed” in Greek. It’s a catch-all term for traditional Greek dishes with fresh vegetables filled with a fragrant rice mixture then baked in the oven until everything is tender and loaded with flavor. If bread bowls and ice cream cones have taught us anything it’s that there’s something very satisfying about eating the bowl! Stuffed veggies are our wholesome Mediterranean version, and we love them in just about every variety. We have many versions of gemista recipes throughout the region, from Middle Eastern Stuffed Zucchini to Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmas) and beyond. For this Greek-style recipe, I wanted the heartiness of some of the heavier versions of gemista that include ground meat, but the lightness of the more delicate vegan varieties often served as sides (like these stuffed onions). I landed on this simple one-pan recipe, with fragrant oregano, a bold amount of garlic, fresh herbs, creamy feta cheese (which is optional), and basmati rice to soak up all the flavor. It’s satisfying enough to serve enough as a main, yet also makes for a versatile side dish to your favorite protein. This gemista recipe is also easy to make and fairly weeknight-friendly, as long as you can budget about an hour and a half in the oven. It’s a great addition to your rotation!

Ingredients for Greek Stuffed Vegetables

This gemista recipe is meant to be an economical, simple dish made with Mediterranean pantry essentials (most of which you can stock up on at our shop!) and fresh, in-season vegetables. You’ll need:

Produce and Perishables

Bell peppers: Use any color bell peppers you like, with yellow and red being on the sweeter side and green and purple being more earthy and vegetal. Tomatoes: Use a large ripe yet firm variety, like Beefsteak. Yukon gold potatoes roast well and have a pleasantly buttery texture, but other potatoes can work (even halved baby potatoes). Yellow onion and garlic add their famous sweet and savory depth of flavor. White or red onion work well too. Fresh herbs: I like the combination of peppery parsley and refreshing mint, but other tender green herbs like dill or basil can work in their place. I would not recommend dried herbs as a substitute—you need the freshness to lift the richness. To learn more about keeping fresh herbs, fresh check out our guide on how to store fresh herbs. Feta cheese is optional, but I love its creamy tang. Just leave it out to keep this dish vegan/dairy-free–it’s also delicious without the cheese.

Pantry

Rice: Adds heft to the mixture and soaks up the flavor. I like the aromatic quality of basmati rice, but you can experiment with other varieties and grains. Seasoning: Dried oregano adds a fragrant, distinctly Greek-style aroma and flavor. Paprika brings a mild kick and brightness (I use the sweet variety, as the smoked will be quite dominant). Extra virgin olive oil is used throughout to prevent sticking, enrich the filling, and gives the vegetables beautifully golden edges. Use a high-quality extra virgin variety (no surprise, but I go Greek for this recipe.) Kosher salt and black pepper draw out the flavors. Crushed tomatoes make for a quick tomato sauce in minutes. You only need one cup, so use any leftovers from the can to make Eggplant Caponata or Mediterranean-Style Okra (Bamya).

Ingredient Spotlight: All About The Seasoning

When I think of Greek flavor the first thing that comes to mind is dried oregano. While fresh oregano is lovely but rather mild, dried oregano is one of those wonder-spices that brings an assertive Mediterranean-style aroma to everything from Greek Chicken to Crispy Calamari. You really can’t have a Greek feast without oregano! And like almost everything else, it varies greatly in terms of quality. A pungent freshly dried oregano makes a huge difference in terms of boldness of flavor—you really only need a pinch to transport you to the streets of Athens.

LOOK FOR: A strong aroma, greenish hue (not brown), with a crumbly (not dusty) texture. TRY IT: Pick the leaves right off the bunch with our Greek Oregano Bunch on the vine, or add an easy pinch with our Dried and Rubbed Greek Oregano.

How to Make Greek Gemista (Yemista)

Stuffed vegetables always give a simple weeknight dinner a fancy feeling, even though they’re secretly a one pan meal. Here are the steps:

Stuff the Peppers and Tomatoes

Get ready. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Oil a large high-sided baking dish (9×13 or larger). Prepare the bell peppers. Cut the tops off 4 bell peppers and tomatoes about 1/2-inch below the stem. Set the tops aside for later. Remove and discard the seeds from the peppers, then place them onto the prepared baking dish with the cut side up. Prepare the tomatoes. Cut the tops off 4 large tomatoes about 1/2-inch below the stem. Set the tops aside for later. Use a small pairing knife to trace the edges of the tomato where the cells connect to the fruit. This will loosen and separate the inner flesh. Use a spoon to carefully scoop out inside into a medium mixing bowl, being careful to leave the “bowl” intact. Chop the larger pieces of flesh into chunks and return them to the bowl. Place the hollowed-out tomatoes in the baking dish next to the peppers. Tuck the potato wedges in between the bell peppers and tomatoes. Make the rice filling. Into the bowl with the tomato flesh, add 3/4 cup (uncooked and rinsed) basmati rice, 1 chopped onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 cup crumbled feta. Season with 1/2 cup each chopped fresh mint and parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano and paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Stuff the peppers and tomatoes. Spoon the rice filling into the hollowed vegetables, filling them about 3/4 of the way (remember, the rice will expand as it cooks).

Bake and Serve

Add the sauce. Place the reserved tops of the peppers and tomatoes on the vegetables like a lid. Spoon 1 cup of crushed tomatoes all over the vegetables and follow with about 1/2 cup of water. Sprinkle with 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle olive oil all over the vegetables. Bake. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake on the center rack of your heated oven for 1 hour. Uncover and bake until the rice filling is fully cooked and the vegetables are very soft and charred in some parts, about 30 minutes more.

What to Serve with Greek Stuffed Vegetables

This vegetarian gemista recipe can easily satisfy 6 people as a main dish, particularly with a fresh Greek Salad (Horiatiki) to start. I also love it as a side to simple Greek-style proteins. Throw the stuffed veggies in the oven while you grill Chicken Souvlaki, or make this Roasted Branzino at the same time. (Cook them both at 375°F, and add the fish in the final 10 minutes or so. Broil the fish after you remove the vegetables.) Browse all Mediterranean recipes